The First Book of Samuel, Chapter 24שמואל א 24

וַיַּ֥עַל דָּוִ֖ד מִשָּׁ֑ם וַיֵּ֖שֶׁב בִּמְצָד֥וֹת עֵֽין גֶּֽדִי

And David went up from thence, and dwelt in strong holds at Engedi.

וַיְהִ֗י כַּֽאֲשֶׁר֙ שָׁ֣ב שָׁא֔וּל מֵאַחֲרֵ֖י פְּלִשְׁתִּ֑ים וַיַּגִּ֤דוּ לוֹ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הִנֵּ֣ה דָוִ֔ד בְּמִדְבַּ֖ר עֵ֥ין גֶּֽדִי

And it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David in the wilderness of Engedi.

וַיִּקַּ֣ח שָׁא֗וּל שְׁלֹ֧שֶׁת אֲלָפִ֛ים אִ֥ישׁ בָּח֖וּר מִכָּל יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיֵּ֗לֶךְ לְבַקֵּ֤שׁ אֶת דָּוִד֙ וַֽאֲנָשָׁ֔יו עַל פְּנֵ֖י צוּרֵ֥י הַיְּעֵלִֽים

Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats.

וַ֠יָּבֹא אֶל גִּדְר֨וֹת הַצֹּ֤אן עַל הַדֶּ֨רֶךְ֙ וְשָׁ֣ם מְעָרָ֔ה וַיָּבֹ֥א שָׁא֖וּל לְהָסֵ֣ךְ אֶת רַגְלָ֑יו וְדָוִד֙ וַאֲנָשָׁ֔יו בְּיַרְכְּתֵ֥י הַמְּעָרָ֖ה יֹשְׁבִֽים

And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet: and David and his men remained in the sides of the cave.

וַיֹּאמְרוּ֩ אַנְשֵׁ֨י דָוִ֜ד אֵלָ֗יו הִנֵּ֨ה הַיּ֜וֹם אֲֽשֶׁר אָמַ֧ר יְהוָ֣ה אֵלֶ֗יךָ הִנֵּ֨ה אָנֹכִ֜י נֹתֵ֤ן אֶת איביך אֹֽיִבְךָ֙ בְּיָדֶ֔ךָ וְעָשִׂ֣יתָ לּ֔וֹ כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר יִטַ֣ב בְּעֵינֶ֑יךָ וַיָּ֣קָם דָּוִ֗ד וַיִּכְרֹ֛ת אֶת כְּנַֽף הַמְּעִ֥יל אֲשֶׁר לְשָׁא֖וּל בַּלָּֽט

And the men of David said to him, Behold the day of which YHWH said to you, Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, that you mayest do to him as it shall seem good to you. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul's robe privily.

וַֽיְהִי֙ אַֽחֲרֵי כֵ֔ן וַיַּ֥ךְ לֵב דָּוִ֖ד אֹת֑וֹ עַ֚ל אֲשֶׁ֣ר כָּרַ֔ת אֶת כָּנָ֖ף אֲשֶׁ֥ר לְשָׁאֽוּל

And it came to pass afterward, that David's heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt.

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר לַאֲנָשָׁ֜יו חָלִ֧ילָה לִּ֣י מֵֽיהוָ֗ה אִם אֶעֱשֶׂה֩ אֶת הַדָּבָ֨ר הַזֶּ֤ה לַֽאדֹנִי֙ לִמְשִׁ֣יחַ יְהוָ֔ה לִשְׁלֹ֥חַ יָדִ֖י בּ֑וֹ כִּֽי מְשִׁ֥יחַ יְהוָ֖ה הֽוּא

And he said to his men, YHWH forbid that I should do this thing to my master, YHWH's anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he the anointed of YHWH.

וַיְשַׁסַּ֨ע דָּוִ֤ד אֶת אֲנָשָׁיו֙ בַּדְּבָרִ֔ים וְלֹ֥א נְתָנָ֖ם לָק֣וּם אֶל שָׁא֑וּל וְשָׁא֛וּל קָ֥ם מֵהַמְּעָרָ֖ה וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ בַּדָּֽרֶךְ

So David stayed his servants with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on way.

וַיָּ֨קָם דָּוִ֜ד אַחֲרֵי כֵ֗ן וַיֵּצֵא֙ מן המערה מֵֽהַמְּעָרָ֔ה וַיִּקְרָ֧א אַֽחֲרֵי שָׁא֛וּל לֵאמֹ֖ר אֲדֹנִ֣י הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַיַּבֵּ֤ט שָׁאוּל֙ אַֽחֲרָ֔יו וַיִּקֹּ֨ד דָּוִ֥ד אַפַּ֛יִם אַ֖רְצָה וַיִּשְׁתָּֽחוּ

David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself.

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר דָּוִד֙ לְשָׁא֔וּל לָ֧מָּה תִשְׁמַ֛ע אֶת דִּבְרֵ֥י אָדָ֖ם לֵאמֹ֑ר הִנֵּ֣ה דָוִ֔ד מְבַקֵּ֖שׁ רָעָתֶֽךָ

And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearest you men's words, saying, Behold, David seeketh your hurt?

הִנֵּה֩ הַיּ֨וֹם הַזֶּ֜ה רָא֣וּ עֵינֶ֗יךָ אֵ֣ת אֲשֶׁר נְתָנְךָ֩ יְהוָ֨ה הַיּ֤וֹם בְּיָדִי֙ בַּמְּעָרָ֔ה וְאָמַ֥ר לַהֲרָגֲךָ֖ וַתָּ֣חָס עָלֶ֑יךָ וָאֹמַ֗ר לֹא אֶשְׁלַ֤ח יָדִי֙ בַּֽאדֹנִ֔י כִּי מְשִׁ֥יחַ יְהוָ֖ה הֽוּא

Behold, this day your eyes have seen how that YHWH had delivered you to day into mine hand in the cave: and bade kill you: but spared you; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he YHWH's anointed.

וְאָבִ֣י רְאֵ֔ה גַּ֗ם רְאֵ֛ה אֶת כְּנַ֥ף מְעִילְךָ֖ בְּיָדִ֑י כִּ֡י בְּכָרְתִי֩ אֶת כְּנַ֨ף מְעִֽילְךָ֜ וְלֹ֣א הֲרַגְתִּ֗יךָ דַּ֤ע וּרְאֵה֙ כִּי֩ אֵ֨ין בְּיָדִ֜י רָעָ֤ה וָפֶ֨שַׁע֙ וְלֹא חָטָ֣אתִי לָ֔ךְ וְאַתָּ֛ה צֹדֶ֥ה אֶת נַפְשִׁ֖י לְקַחְתָּֽהּ

Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of your robe in my hand: for in that I cut off the skirt of your robe, and killed you not, know you and see that neither evil nor transgression in mine hand, and I have not sinned against you; yet you huntest my soul to take it.

יִשְׁפֹּ֤ט יְהוָה֙ בֵּינִ֣י וּבֵינֶ֔ךָ וּנְקָמַ֥נִי יְהוָ֖ה מִמֶּ֑ךָּ וְיָדִ֖י לֹ֥א תִֽהְיֶה בָּֽךְ

YHWH judge between me and you, and YHWH avenge me of you: but mine hand shall not be upon you.

כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר יֹאמַ֗ר מְשַׁל֙ הַקַּדְמֹנִ֔י מֵרְשָׁעִ֖ים יֵ֣צֵא רֶ֑שַׁע וְיָדִ֖י לֹ֥א תִֽהְיֶה בָּֽךְ

As says the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked: but mine hand shall not be upon you.

אַחֲרֵ֨י מִ֤י יָצָא֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אַחֲרֵ֥י מִ֖י אַתָּ֣ה רֹדֵ֑ף אַֽחֲרֵי֙ כֶּ֣לֶב מֵ֔ת אַחֲרֵ֖י פַּרְעֹ֥שׁ אֶחָֽד

After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost you pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea.

וְהָיָ֤ה יְהוָה֙ לְדַיָּ֔ן וְשָׁפַ֖ט בֵּינִ֣י וּבֵינֶ֑ךָ וְיֵ֨רֶא֙ וְיָרֵ֣ב אֶת רִיבִ֔י וְיִשְׁפְּטֵ֖נִי מִיָּדֶֽךָ

YHWH therefore be judge, and judge between me and you, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of your hand.

וַיְהִ֣י כְּכַלּ֣וֹת דָּוִ֗ד לְדַבֵּ֞ר אֶת הַדְּבָרִ֤ים הָאֵ֨לֶּה֙ אֶל שָׁא֔וּל וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שָׁא֔וּל הֲקֹלְךָ֥ זֶ֖ה בְּנִ֣י דָוִ֑ד וַיִּשָּׂ֥א שָׁא֛וּל קֹל֖וֹ וַיֵּֽבְךְּ

And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words to Saul, that Saul said, this your voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept.

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ אֶל דָּוִ֔ד צַדִּ֥יק אַתָּ֖ה מִמֶּ֑נִּי כִּ֤י אַתָּה֙ גְּמַלְתַּ֣נִי הַטּוֹבָ֔ה וַאֲנִ֖י גְּמַלְתִּ֥יךָ הָרָעָֽה

And he said to David, You more righteous than I: for you have rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded you evil.

ואת וְאַתָּה֙ הִגַּ֣דְתָּ הַיּ֔וֹם אֵ֛ת אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂ֥יתָה אִתִּ֖י טוֹבָ֑ה אֵת֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר סִגְּרַ֧נִי יְהוָ֛ה בְּיָדְךָ֖ וְלֹ֥א הֲרַגְתָּֽנִי

And you have shewed this day how that you have dealt well with me: forasmuch as when YHWH had delivered me into your hand, you killedst me not.

וְכִֽי יִמְצָ֥א אִישׁ֙ אֶת אֹ֣יְב֔וֹ וְשִׁלְּח֖וֹ בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ טוֹבָ֑ה וַֽיהוָה֙ יְשַׁלֶּמְךָ֣ טוֹבָ֔ה תַּ֚חַת הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשִׂ֖יתָה לִֽי

For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? wherefore YHWH reward you good for that you have done to me this day.

וְעַתָּה֙ הִנֵּ֣ה יָדַ֔עְתִּי כִּ֥י מָלֹ֖ךְ תִּמְל֑וֹךְ וְקָ֨מָה֙ בְּיָ֣דְךָ֔ מַמְלֶ֖כֶת יִשְׂרָאֵֽל

And now, behold, I know well that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand.

וְעַתָּ֗ה הִשָּׁ֤בְעָה לִּי֙ בַּֽיהוָ֔ה אִם תַּכְרִ֥ית אֶת זַרְעִ֖י אַֽחֲרָ֑י וְאִם תַּשְׁמִ֥יד אֶת שְׁמִ֖י מִבֵּ֥ית אָבִֽי

Swear now therefore to me by YHWH, that you will not cut off my seed after me, and that you will not destroy my name out of my father's house.

וַיִּשָּׁבַ֥ע דָּוִ֖ד לְשָׁא֑וּל וַיֵּ֤לֶךְ שָׁאוּל֙ אֶל בֵּית֔וֹ וְדָוִד֙ וַֽאֲנָשָׁ֔יו עָל֖וּ עַל הַמְּצוּדָֽה

And David sware to Saul. And Saul went home; but David and his men gat them up to the hold.